Arsenal eye exciting move for England striker to boost title hopes - and it’s not Ivan Toney

Arsenal got their title hopes back on track with an impressive 2-0 victory against a stubborn Brighton side.The result propelled Mikel Arteta’s team back to the top of the table and put them in the driving seat ahead of their crucial clash with Liverpool on Saturday 23 December.

The Gunners face a challenging spell of games in weeks to come including all-London affairs against West Ham and Fulham before facing Liverpool once again in the third round of the FA Cup.

Mikel Arteta’s team are dreaming of winning their first title since 2004 and after an active summer transfer window it appears likely that the North London giants will once again spend big to gain the edge on their competition.

The striker position is currently viewed as the priority, according to many football experts including Ian Wright, Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Neil Warnock. Many have described returning Brentford striker Ivan Toney as the answer upfront, although new reports from the Mirror suggest that Arsenal have turned their attentions elsewhere due to Brentford’s hefty demands of around £100m for their talisman.

The outlet claims that Arsenal are in the market for another one cap wonder for England instead in the form of Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.

Solanke is a 6ft2 striker who is renowned for his excellent physicality as well as his brilliant hold up play to bring others into the game. The 26-year-old was a product of the Chelsea youth academy who was snapped up on a free transfer by Liverpool in 2017.

The forward was regarded as a prodigy in England’s youth team squad and helped the team to tournament glory in the U17 European Championship and the U20 World Cup. Solanke’s one and only England cap so far came in 2017, but he failed to establish himself as a regular starter at Anfield.

A big £19m move to Bournemouth followed under Eddie Howe, but a combination of injuries and poor form by his team saw him score just three in his first two seasons as the Cherries suffered relegation.

Solanke took his time to find his feet at Dean Court but in recent years he has exploded into life and established himself as a fan favourite. He fired in 44 goals in two seasons in the Championship as the Cherries won promotion back into the Premier League and has proven himself in the top-flight as well by scoring six and providing seven assists last term.The England striker has elevated his game to a new level this season and has already beaten last season’s goal tally with nine goals from 17 games.

While Solanke is under contract at Bournemouth until the summer of 2027, he appears to be a cheaper alternative to Toney and has the added bonus of being three years younger. If Solanke was to sign for Arsenal he would add to the existing trio of striker options which includes Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and occasionally midfielder Kai Havertz who can operate in multiple areas.